Supply system for electric railways



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' H. V. BROWN.

, SUPPLY SYSTEM EOE ELECTRIC EAILWAYS'.` No. 548,032. Patented Oct. 15, 1895.

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H. v. BROWN. SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC EAILWA'YS. No. 548,032. Patented 055. 15,1595.

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fH. v.. BROWN. SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR ELETRIG RAILWYS.

No.548,0312'. l Patentedoot. 15,1895.

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SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR BLEGTBIG RMLWAYS.A

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HENRY V.'BROWN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,032, dated October 15, 1895. Application iiled November 21,1894. Serial No. 529,526. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t maj/ conccrm Be it known that I, HENRY V. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Systems of Electrical Traction, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in systems of electrical traction of that class wherein the current for the motor on the car is taken from a main circuit by suitable brushes.

Particularly, the invention relates to improvements in that class of systems that have the main circuit underground.

The invention consists, first, in combining with the main underground circuit shiftable current-carriers, which are normally out of contact with the main circuit, but while a car is passing over them rise into contact with said circuit, and with suitable brushes on the car, so that the current is taken by means of the current-carriers from the main circuit to themotor on the car. When the car has passed over the current-carrier, it again descends out of contact with the circuit and be comes dead. At the same time the currentcarrier has descended out of harms way from passing vehicles. Itis also the purpose of the upward movement of the current-carriers, in addition to closing the connection between the motor and themain circuit, to lift the electrically-conductive tops of the current-carriers (the bodies thereof being made of nonconductive materials) above the reach of water and snow on the streets, in order that shortcircuiting may be thereby avoided and that the operation of the system shall be certain in all kinds of weather and shall not be liable to the interruptions which attend other underground systems.

The invention consists, second, in combining with the circuit-carriers suitable devices on the car for pushing the carriers down and suitable catches in the carrier-boxes for holding and releasing the carriers at the proper times, and I prefer to operate said catches electrically.

The invention consists, third, in combining with the main circuit and carriers inverted air-chambers, which will provide an. air-lock around the contacts on the circuits and the carriers and prevent water from ever rising to the contacts.l

Referring to the drawings which accompany the specification to aid the description, Figure l is a sectional elevation showing two of the carriers and a car with a brush which is just coming into contact with one carrier and just passing out of contact with the carrier immediately behind. The wheels and sill of the car only are indicated. Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional details-on, a large scale, of a single carrier and its equipment and respectively showing the 'carrier in its lowest and its highest position. l The car is not indicated in these figures. Fig. 2X illustrates the arrangement of the main cable outside of the air-chamber and with a branch wire carried into said airchamber and terminating in a suitable contact. Fig. 3X is a broken Sectional detail on a larger scale, showing a method ot' insulating the joints where the branches of the conductor pass through the shells of the currentcarriers. These gures show a system arranged to carry the return-circuit through the ground or through the rails in any usual manner. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of a system provided with a return main circuit and two series of carriers-one for the out, the other for the return circuit. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of a modification of a carrier, it now being curved and moving around a center.

A, Fig. 1, is the sill of a car; B, the wheels; C, the motor-case; c, the circuit to the motor.

D is a brush, of suitable conductive material-as iron, steel, or copper-preferablyextending beneath and nearly the entire length of the car-body and supported, preferably, by insulated springs d d, from the cross-pieces d2 of the lengthwise Stringer A of the truck of the car. Description of the arrangement of said stringer is unnecessary, as it is Well known to car-builders, is in common use, and is not per se claimed as any part of this invention. The under face of said brush D should be made of considerable wid th to provide for the cars going around curves, and the brush is preferably set inside the wheels B. The front end of said brush D is preferably curved up, as shown, and near the rear end it descends on an easy slope. Immediately be- ICO hind the brush I prefer to put a separate piece D', which slopes down until itjust. clears the street. The joint between the parts D and D may be filled with insulating material. Said brush D is electrically connected with the wire to the motor C.

E E are currentcarriers arranged between the rails, and so as to come at proper times into contact with the brush D and at distances apart a little less than the length of said brush. Said current-carriers are posts having electrically-conductive caps E, insulated from the shells e2, c being insulating filling, as wood, in the said shells. A wirefpasses from the cap e out by an insulated joint through the shell c2, having a long terminal insulated-spring portion f', provided with a contact piece or button f2. 'The aforesaid joint, where the wire fpasses through the shell E2, is insulated by means of a sleeve, of rubber or other non-conductor 30, which encircles the wire and lls the hole in said sleeve E2. The flanges of said sleeve may be secured to the shell E2 by screws 32, as shown in Fig. 3.

responding intervals contacts g2.

The cable Gf passes through or to one side of said air-chamber H, the said cable or the insulated wire ofthe contact g2 passing through the wall of the air-chamber with au air-tight` joint, as is shown in Fig. 4. This said airchamber forms an air-lock around the contacts f2 g2 and prevents water from rising to l the same. Of course when the cable G passes 5 to one side of the airchamber H the wire of the contact g2, properly insulated, will pass through the wall of said air-chamber.

joint 30, similar to thejoint 30, where the wiref passes through the shell E2, Fig. 3, through the shell of the carrier E to a contactj set beneath g an insulating projection f5 of the carrier E.

The carrier E is elevated by a spring E coiled between a shoulder ou said carrier and a guide S,through which the lower `part of the l Any other equivalent device `carrier works. 4may of course be substituted for the spring E. To retain the carriers Ein the lowest position and release them any suitable device may be employed, and I prefer an electricallyoperated catch for the purpose. A useful arrangement of the same is shown in Figs. 2 and 8, k being a long arm of a lever adapted to engage an insulated shoulder of thecarrier E when said carrier is in its lowest position. The end of the lever is preferably curved on an are having the fulcrum Z as a center, and the surface of the shoulder j may also be curved. The other arm of said lever carries an armature 7c', K being au electromagnet supported on a bracket and adapted to attract The main circuit G, consisting of, an insulated cable g and extending along the line from the generators, has at suitable corl A shuntfaleads from the wiref by an insulated said armature. A switch m is pivoted to be actuated by the projection f5, and preferably on the fulcrum Z, m5 being a weight to hold said switch normally about horizontal, (or a spring can be used for the saine purpose,) n being a conductorset on the non-conducting body of the switch fm, and electrically counected with the sh unt-wire O, which, properly insulated, leads to the electromagnet of the next forward carrier. Said sh unt-circuit is coiled near the switch to make a spring to permit of the necessary motions of the switch. I prefer to set the conductor a into the body of the switch m, so as to leave a non-eonducting toe in between the said conductor a and the carrier E. ln wiring up the system it will be understood that the Aone pole of each electromagnet K is connected by the shuntcircuit O with the switch of the next preceding carrier, so that the passage of a car over one carrier will enliven the magnet of the next carrier and release said next carrier in the manner to be hereinafter described. Said magnet K may also be grounded by wires 0', as indicated.

P is a case containing the carrier and its equipment. A stuiting-box p q with packing r is provided on the cover of the case through which the carrier E works with water-tight iit. If desired,any suitable provision may be made for oiling the stutiingboxcs. P is a cylindrical depression on the bottom of the case P to receive the lower end of the carrier E. The main circuit G and the shunt-circuit O will, of course, be carried in any suitable manner, as in pipes, below the surface of the ground from case to case, there being watertight joints wherever the pipes pass through the walls of the cases P. As said pipes do not require to vbe buried at any depth and `need but small trenches, and as the cases are of small `area, the costof the necessary excavation is but small.

The operation is as follows: Suppose a car is moving in the direction of thearrow, Fig. 1, and in such a position that the inclined part at the rear end of the brush D is passing over a carrier E and the front-end of the brush is approaching the next forward carrier, which is as yet heldin its lower position by its catch. New, `as the car proceeds, the incline at rear of the brush D andzpart D pushes down said rear carrier E from the position ot' Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 2. As said carrier descends, thc contact f2 still remains `for a certain part of its descent in contact with thebutton or contact g2, because of the spring part f of the circuit f, and the current is not interrupted. Now, while the said carrier E is s0 descending, and before the contact with the main circuit is broken, the conductor f comes down on the conductor/not the switch m and shunts a part of the current through the shunt-circuit 0 to the electromagnet K of the said next forward carrier. Said magnet attracts the armature la of the lever la, draws said lever off the shoulder j, and releases said carrier, which IOC IZO

immediately rises to the position of Fig. 3.` This action takes place, preferably, just before the turned-up forward end of the brush D arrives over said carrier. At the instant that the front end of the brush D comes on the top of the front carrier the brush spans the interval between two carriers, and at this instant there are two contacts between the brush and the main circuit. In this manner there can be no instant of time at which the brush D is not in contact with at least one live carrier, and the current will always be energizing the motor. .As the forward carrier rose,the insulated part of the projection f5 pushed up the switch m and the conductor f4 did not make any contact with the conductor fn. of the said switch. As said projection f5 passed above the switch, said switch dropped back to the horizontal position, Eig. 2. Some little time before the said carrier arrived'at its highest position the button j2 made contact with the button g2, the spring f compressing as the carrier E continued its ascent. Thus it is evident that at the highest position the carrier is in contact with, but at its lowest position is out of contact with, the main circuit G, and that at both the lowest and highest positions the shunt-circuit to the next forward electromagnet is broken. Only during a certain portion of the downward movement of the carrier is the shunt-circuit closed through the switch m and the conductorf4. The relative positions of the buttons g2 f2, conductor f4, switchjm, and the vertical play of the carrier E, are such that the conductorf4 will not close the shunt-circuit O until the carrier has descended a certain distance, and that said shunt-circuit will remain closed long enough to insure the releasing of the catch of the next forward carrier.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the system is shown. arranged to operate with a return-conductor, G G being respectively the out and return branches of the main circuit, which are throughout their length separate from each other. E and E4 are their respective currentcarriers. The posts of said carriers are connected by a cross-piece E5, in which is a hole, through which works a guidepost E6, E being the spring to raise the carriers. The construction of the carriers, their caps E E4, and

wiresff7, respectively, and their .insulation are the same as hereinbefore described. The foot of each carrier E5 E5 may be turned laterally and up, so as to be vertically below the bottom of the 4respective air-chambers H H. The circuits G G pass through the upper part of said airchambers H H', respectively, with air-tight joints, or, ofcourse the contacts g2 g5 v,may be led through 'the walls of the chambers, as hereinbefore mentioned. The catch K, arranged to be operated by the electromagnet Kin the manner herein described,

normally bears on the cross-piece E5, as shown in Fig. 5. When the current passes through the electromagnet from the preceding carrier, the said magnet attracts the armature K',

draws the catch from the cross-piece E5, and allows both carriers E E4 to rise simultaneously, making contact, respectively, with the cables G G. The switch m, provided with a conductor n, which is electrically connected with the shunt-current o, leading to the next forward electromagnet, as hereinbefore described, is now pivoted independently from the catch 7c, but is operated by the projection f5 and conductor]4 as the carrier rises and descends in the manner liereinbefore described. 'Ihe said switch m, (shown in Fig. 4,) is also applicable to the single-carrier system hereinbefore fully described. With the two circuits and sets of carriers there will of course be two brushes arranged side by side beneath the car but insulated from each other, so that one brush will pass over the one, the other brush over the other series of carriers. In this case the one brush will be connected with the one, the other brush with the other pole of the motor. Each of said brushes will be in all respects similar to that before described, and does not require further description.

In Fig. 6 is shown a carrier arranged to rise and fall around a center. The carrier 1 being a hollow curved pipe, with X as a center of movement and filled with some insulating material 2, contains a wire 3, connected with a spring 4, and contactbutton 5, 6 being the conductive cap of the carrier insulated from the shell of the carrier. Said carrier is rigidly connected with the arm 8, fulcrumed at and works through a stuffing-box having a gland 10, with a curved hole to tit the carrier. Said gland threads into a sleeve 11, which in turn threads into the top of the box P, 12 being the usual packing. 14 is the spring to push up vthe carrier. 15 is the shoulder engaged by the catch 7c, K being the electromagnet to op- IOO erate the same. m is the switch arranged as before, 18 being the projection on the carrier 1 and 19 the conductor of the shunt-wire 20. H is the air-chamber, as before. To protect the arm 8 a hood, 25 is placed on top of the case P, with a slot in the top through which the arm 8 and carrier l work. 'Io avoid making the case I very long, I prefer to puta bracket 27 on the end to support the pivot of the arm 8. It will be understood that when the electromagnet attracts the armature K the catch le releases the carrier l, which is pushed up, moving on a circular arc around the centerX as it rises. In other respects the operation is the same as hereinbefore described.

Now, having described my improvements, I declare that what I claim as my invention` 1s- 1. The combination in an electrical traction system of a main circuit, vertically shiftable current carriers arranged to be normally out of contact with the main circuit and a catch adapted in one position to restrain and in another position to release said carriers, and an electro magnet arranged to actuate said IIO catch and being momentarilyelectrically connected with the next preceding current carrier, substantially as described.

2. The combination in an electrical traction system of a main circuit a series of vertically shittable current carriers, electrically operated catches adapted to normally hold said carriers out of contact with said main circuit and connected bya shunt circuit with a switch which is adapted to make and break connection with the preceding carrier as the same shifts substantially as described.

3. In an electrical traction system the combination with a series of current carriers of a catch for each carrier, an electro magnet adapted to operate the catch, a shunt circuit to the magnet, and a switch in said shunt circuit operated by another carrier, substantially as described.

4. The combination in an electrical traction system of aseries of shiftable current carriers, catches therefor, shunt circuits adapted to throw said catches electrically, and switches in said shunt circuits adapted to be actuated by said current carriers, substantially as described.

5. The combination in an electrical traction system, of a main cable, contacts thereon, inverted air chambers around said contacts, shiftable current carriers adapted to make and break contact with said contacts of the main cable, shunt circuits adapted to be e1ectrically connected with said main cable through said current carriers and catches for said current carriers operated by the said y shunt circuits, substantially as and for the purpose described. t

(i. The combination, in an electrical traction system, and with a car containing a motor, and a series ot current carriers arrangedalong the line, of a brush on the car adapted to make contact with the current carriers, and a rear inclined part electrically separated from the main body of the brush and adapted to push down the current carriers, substantially as described.

7. The combination in an electrical traction system of a motor on a car, a brush on the car eIectrically connected with the motor, a main circuit, a series of vertically shiftable current carriers arranged a less distance apart than the extreme length of the brush, contacts on the main circuit, electrodes on the current carriers, and said contacts and electrodes one or both provided with compressible springs, catches adapt-ed to nor mally retain the current carriers in therlowest position, electro magnets arranged to throw off said catches, switches arranged to make and break connection with the current carrieis, shunt circuits from each catch to the magnet of the next forward carrier, and said contacts, electrodes and switches arranged so that the shunt circuit is broken at both. extremes of' the carriers motion and is closed for a time between those extremes substantially as described. A

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 18th day of October, 1894.

HENRY v. BROWN.

Vitnesses:

BERNARD JxBEcKR, DAVID WALTER BROWN. 

